Óscar Cardozo
Encyclopedia
Óscar René Cardozo Marín (born 20 May 1983) is a Paraguay
an footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal
, as a striker.
Known for his powerful left-foot shot and free-kick
skills, he first gained notoriety whilst playing for Newell's Old Boys
, which led to a move to Benfica, where he scored more than 100 official goals and won four major titles, namely the 2010 national championship, where he also was the top scorer
.
Nickname
d "Tacuara" (Big cane
in Guarani
), Cardozo gained more than 50 caps
for Paraguay
, representing the nation at the 2010 World Cup
.
, Cardozo started his senior career with modest Club Atlético 3 de Febrero
of Ciudad del Este
, helping it to the second division championship. In 2004, he moved to the top level with Asunción
's Club Nacional
, where he quickly established himself as the team's top scorer, netting 17 overall goals in his last season.
Cardozo arrived at Argentina
and Newell's Old Boys
in the second half of the 2006–07 season for a transfer fee of $
1.2 million, joining compatriots Diego Gavilán, Santiago Salcedo
and Justo Villar. He scored 11 goals in only 16 games in the Apertura
, but his team could only finish 18th in the tournament, and 13th overall; as a result of his performances, he was voted the 2006 Paraguayan Footballer of the Year
.
giants S.L. Benfica, after being bought for an approximate amount of €
9.2 million for 80% of his playing rights. This made him the second most expensive signing in the club's history, only surpassed by Simão Sabrosa
, for whom the club paid €12 million in 2001. He finished his first season with 22 official goals, but the Reds came out empty in silverware; on 22 February 2008, he netted a last-minute goal
against 1. FC Nuremberg for the season's UEFA Cup (2–2 away draw, 3–2 aggregate win): thus, he kept his promise of surpassing the 20-goal mark.
In 2008–09, Cardozo scored 17 goals, all in the league, including the equalizer against F.C. Porto on 30 August 2008. He finished second in the Bola de Prata
race, losing only to Liédson
of Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Cardozo had a very positive 2009–10 pre-season, scoring eight goals in ten games. On 31 August 2009, in the third league game, he scored a hat-trick
in a 8–1 home demolition of Vitória de Setúbal
. On 22 October, in the Europa League group stage match against Everton
, Tacuara netted twice in two minutes, in an eventual 5–0 thrashing at the Estádio da Luz, and added a further three in the league against C.D. Nacional (6–1, at home), and with Académica de Coimbra (4–0, home).
In the Europa League quarter-finals against Liverpool
, Cardozo scored two penalties
for a 2–1 home win. He also found the net in the second leg at Anfield
with a free kick
, but in a 1–4 loss and subsequent elimination; as Benfica won the national championship, adding the year's domestic League Cup, he finished with a career-high 38 goals in 47 matches (26 in the domestic league, leading Porto's Radamel Falcao
by only one), partnering well with Argentine Javier Saviola
.
, in a friendly
with Mexico
, scoring the game's only goal, and being selected for the squad that appeared in that year's Copa América
. The tournament in Venezuela
ended in the quarterfinals, and the player netted once, in a 3–1 group stage win against the United States
.
Cardozo scored two goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualification
, as Paraguay qualified for the finals in South Africa
. On 29 June 2010, he scored the winning penalty in the shootout against Japan
(5–3 victory), as La Albirroja qualified for the World Cup
quarter-finals for the first time ever. In the following game, however, with the score at 0–0, he missed a 59th-minute penalty against Spain
, in a 0–1 defeat against the eventual champions.
Cardozo was overlooked by coach Gerardo Martino
for the 2011 Copa América
squad, in spite of scoring 23 official goals for Benfica.
*
Includes one match in the Portuguese Supercup
Benfica
, is also a footballer and a forward. He represented mainly Tacuary
, and also played abroad in Portugal, appearing in one season with F.C. Penafiel.
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
an footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, as a striker.
Known for his powerful left-foot shot and free-kick
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
skills, he first gained notoriety whilst playing for Newell's Old Boys
Newell's Old Boys
Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football...
, which led to a move to Benfica, where he scored more than 100 official goals and won four major titles, namely the 2010 national championship, where he also was the top scorer
Bola de Prata
The Bola de Prata is a Primeira Liga award for the top scorer. In case two or more players have the same amount of goals, the award goes to the footballer with the least games played. It was first awarded has a prize in the 1952–53 season by sport newspaper A Bola.-List of winners:...
.
Nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d "Tacuara" (Big cane
Cane
Cane are either of two genera of tall, perennial grasses with flexible, woody stalks from the family Poaceae that grow throughout the world in wet soils. They are related to and may include species of bamboo. The genus Arundo is native from the Mediterranean region to the Far East. Arundinaria...
in Guarani
Guaraní language
Guaraní, specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guaraní , is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí–Guaraní subfamily of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay , where it is spoken by the majority of the population, and half of...
), Cardozo gained more than 50 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
, representing the nation at the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
.
Beginnings / Newell's
Born in Juan Eulogio EstigarribiaJuan Eulogio Estigarribia
Juan Eulogio Estigarribia is a city in the country of Paraguay. It is famous for its Tourism and for its sports which include a local Football Team and several Jet ski lodges, and for its Guarani culture sites. The main River in the city is the Iguazú River and the city is agricultural....
, Cardozo started his senior career with modest Club Atlético 3 de Febrero
Club Atlético 3 de Febrero
Club Atlético 3 de Febrero is a football club from the city of Ciudad del Este, department of Alto Paraná in Paraguay; founded in 1970. The team started playing in the Liga Paranaense and finally made their way to the second division of the Paraguayan League in 2000...
of Ciudad del Este
Ciudad del Este
Ciudad del Este is the second largest city in Paraguay and capital of Alto Paraná department, located at the Rio Paraná....
, helping it to the second division championship. In 2004, he moved to the top level with Asunción
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
's Club Nacional
Club Nacional
Club Nacional is a Paraguayan football team, based in the neighbourhood of Barrio Obrero in Asunción, founded in 1904.-History:The club was founded on June 5, 1904 by a group of alumni of the Colegio Nacional de la Capital, one of the oldest public schools in Asunción...
, where he quickly established himself as the team's top scorer, netting 17 overall goals in his last season.
Cardozo arrived at Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Newell's Old Boys
Newell's Old Boys
Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football...
in the second half of the 2006–07 season for a transfer fee of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.2 million, joining compatriots Diego Gavilán, Santiago Salcedo
Santiago Salcedo
Santiago Gabriel Salcedo González, nicknamed "Sa-Sa", is a Paraguayan footballer currently playing for Argentinos Juniors in the Argentine Primera División.- Career :...
and Justo Villar. He scored 11 goals in only 16 games in the Apertura
Apertura and Clausura
The Apertura and Clausura tournaments are a relatively recent innovation for many Latin American football leagues in which the traditional European football season from August to May is divided in two sections per season, each with its own champion. Apertura and Clausura are the Spanish words for...
, but his team could only finish 18th in the tournament, and 13th overall; as a result of his performances, he was voted the 2006 Paraguayan Footballer of the Year
Paraguayan Footballer of the Year
The Paraguayan Footballer of the Year is an award given to the best Paraguayan professional football player every year. The award began officially in 1997 and it is presented by Paraguayan newspaper Diario ABC Color...
.
Benfica
On 21 June 2007, Cardozo officially signed for PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
giants S.L. Benfica, after being bought for an approximate amount of €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
9.2 million for 80% of his playing rights. This made him the second most expensive signing in the club's history, only surpassed by Simão Sabrosa
Simão Sabrosa
Simão Pedro Fonseca Sabrosa, OIH , commonly known as Simão , is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Beşiktaş J.K. in Turkey, mainly as a left winger - he can also play as a forward - with dribbling and set piece skills as primary attributes.Having played in his country for two of the three...
, for whom the club paid €12 million in 2001. He finished his first season with 22 official goals, but the Reds came out empty in silverware; on 22 February 2008, he netted a last-minute goal
Last-minute goal
The term "last-minute goal" is used in sport, primarily association football, to describe a goal scored very late in a game. It may not necessarily refer to a goal scored in the actual final minute...
against 1. FC Nuremberg for the season's UEFA Cup (2–2 away draw, 3–2 aggregate win): thus, he kept his promise of surpassing the 20-goal mark.
In 2008–09, Cardozo scored 17 goals, all in the league, including the equalizer against F.C. Porto on 30 August 2008. He finished second in the Bola de Prata
Bola de Prata
The Bola de Prata is a Primeira Liga award for the top scorer. In case two or more players have the same amount of goals, the award goes to the footballer with the least games played. It was first awarded has a prize in the 1952–53 season by sport newspaper A Bola.-List of winners:...
race, losing only to Liédson
Liédson
Liédson da Silva Muniz , simply Liédson, is a Brazilian-born Portuguese footballer who plays for Sport Club Corinthians Paulista as a striker....
of Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Cardozo had a very positive 2009–10 pre-season, scoring eight goals in ten games. On 31 August 2009, in the third league game, he scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in a 8–1 home demolition of Vitória de Setúbal
Vitória F.C.
Vitória Futebol Clube is a Portuguese sports club from the city of Setúbal. Popularly known as Vitória de Setúbal with the motto "A Vitória será nossa" .- Domestic :*Portuguese Liga: Runners-up 1971–72...
. On 22 October, in the Europa League group stage match against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Tacuara netted twice in two minutes, in an eventual 5–0 thrashing at the Estádio da Luz, and added a further three in the league against C.D. Nacional (6–1, at home), and with Académica de Coimbra (4–0, home).
In the Europa League quarter-finals against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Cardozo scored two penalties
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
for a 2–1 home win. He also found the net in the second leg at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
with a free kick
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
, but in a 1–4 loss and subsequent elimination; as Benfica won the national championship, adding the year's domestic League Cup, he finished with a career-high 38 goals in 47 matches (26 in the domestic league, leading Porto's Radamel Falcao
Radamel Falcao
Radamel Falcao García Zárate , commonly known simply as Falcao, is a Colombian football striker who currently plays for Atlético Madrid....
by only one), partnering well with Argentine Javier Saviola
Javier Saviola
Javier Pedro Saviola Fernández is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal, as a striker....
.
International career
On 5 June 2007, Cardozo made his international debut for ParaguayParaguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
, in a friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
with Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
, scoring the game's only goal, and being selected for the squad that appeared in that year's Copa América
Copa América
The Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
. The tournament in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
ended in the quarterfinals, and the player netted once, in a 3–1 group stage win against the United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
.
Cardozo scored two goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)
The South American zone of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification saw 10 teams competing for places in the finals which were held in South Africa. The format is identical to that used for the previous three World Cup qualification tournaments held by CONMEBOL...
, as Paraguay qualified for the finals in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. On 29 June 2010, he scored the winning penalty in the shootout against Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
(5–3 victory), as La Albirroja qualified for the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
quarter-finals for the first time ever. In the following game, however, with the score at 0–0, he missed a 59th-minute penalty against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, in a 0–1 defeat against the eventual champions.
Cardozo was overlooked by coach Gerardo Martino
Gerardo Martino
Gerardo Daniel Martino , nicknamed Tata, is an Argentine former football midfielder and current a manager.Martino played mostly for Newell's Old Boys in his native Rosario. He holds the record of appearances with the team playing a total of 505 matches in all official competitions...
for the 2011 Copa América
2011 Copa América
The 2011 Campeonato Sudamericano Copa América, better known as the 2011 Copa América or the Copa América Argentina 2011, was the 43rd edition of the Copa América, the main international football tournament for national teams in South America...
squad, in spite of scoring 23 official goals for Benfica.
International goals
Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| 3 de Febrero Club Atlético 3 de Febrero Club Atlético 3 de Febrero is a football club from the city of Ciudad del Este, department of Alto Paraná in Paraguay; founded in 1970. The team started playing in the Liga Paranaense and finally made their way to the second division of the Paraguayan League in 2000... |
2003 | * | * | * | * | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | * | * | ||||||||
| 2004 | * | * | * | * | |||||||
| 0 | 0 | * | * | ||||||||
| Total | * | 20 | * | * | |||||||
| 0 | 0 | * | 20 | ||||||||
| Nacional Club Nacional Club Nacional is a Paraguayan football team, based in the neighbourhood of Barrio Obrero in Asunción, founded in 1904.-History:The club was founded on June 5, 1904 by a group of alumni of the Colegio Nacional de la Capital, one of the oldest public schools in Asunción... |
2004 | 14 | 3 | * | * | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2005 | 29 | 9 | * | * | |||||||
| 0 | 0 | 29 | 9 | ||||||||
| 2006 | 20 | 10 | * | * | |||||||
| 0 | 0 | 20 | 10 | ||||||||
| Total | 63 | 29 | * | * | |||||||
| 0 | 0 | 63 | 29 | ||||||||
| Newell's Old Boys Newell's Old Boys Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football... |
2006–07 | 33 | 21 | * | * | ||||||
| * | * | 33 | 21 | ||||||||
| Total | 33 | 21 | * | * | |||||||
| * | * | 33 | 21 | ||||||||
| Benfica | 2007–08 | 29 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 45 | 22 |
| 2008–09 | 26 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 17 | |
| 2009–10 | 29 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 47 | 38 | |
| 2010–11 | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 42* * * is a a typographic symbol which is called asterisk.* may also refer to:* "*", a song by M83 * "*", a song by Sadist from "Lego" * *, symbol for not out in cricket... |
23 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Primeira Liga -Personnel and kits:Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.-Managerial changes:-League table:-Positions by round:... |
7 | 6 | 0 | |0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 11* * * is a a typographic symbol which is called asterisk.* may also refer to:* "*", a song by M83 * "*", a song by Sadist from "Lego" * *, symbol for not out in cricket... |
7 | |
| Total | 113 | 74 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 45 | 21 | 180 | 108 | |
| Career total | 214 | 135 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 45 | 21 | 276 | 180 | |
- Last updated on 14/09/2011
*
*
* is a a typographic symbol which is called asterisk.* may also refer to:* "*", a song by M83 * "*", a song by Sadist from "Lego" * *, symbol for not out in cricket...
Includes one match in the Portuguese Supercup
Club
3 de Febrero- Second Division: 2004
Benfica
- Portuguese League: 2009–10
- Portuguese League Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–112010–11 Taça da LigaThe 2010–11 Taça da Liga was the fourth edition of the portuguese Taça da Liga. The first matches were played on August 8, 2010. The final was scheduled on April 23, 2011 where Benfica beat Paços de Ferreira 2-1, and won their third title. The final was played at the Estadio Cidade de Coimbra,...
Individual
- Paraguayan Footballer of the YearParaguayan Footballer of the YearThe Paraguayan Footballer of the Year is an award given to the best Paraguayan professional football player every year. The award began officially in 1997 and it is presented by Paraguayan newspaper Diario ABC Color...
: 2006, 2009 - Portuguese League: Top scorer 2009–10; Player of the Month May 2009
- UEFA Europa League: Top scorer 2009–10; Goal.comGoal.comGoal.com, founded in 2004 by Chicco Merighi and former Ferrari Maserati and Ralph Lauren President and CEO Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni, is a website for international football news. Goal.com represents the largest football community in the world, with 22 language versions, covering over 200...
Team of the Year 2009–10
Personal
Cardozo's younger brother, RamónRamon Cardozo
Ramón Idalecio Cardozo is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for Tacuary as a forward.Cardozo played most of his professional career with Tacuary. In January 2007, he was loaned to F.C...
, is also a footballer and a forward. He represented mainly Tacuary
Tacuary
Tacuary Foot Ball Club is a Paraguayan football team, based in the neighborhood of Barrio Jara, Asunción. The club was founded in 1923. Despite being a small team that got promoted to the first division fairly recently , Tacuary qualified to the prestigious Copa Libertadores tournament twice and...
, and also played abroad in Portugal, appearing in one season with F.C. Penafiel.